Republicans tout law-and-order theme at RNC; Trump Jr. notes Kenosha unrest: 'It's very complicated'
WASHINGTON - The first night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) included dire warnings about what may happen if Joe Biden were elected. Now, Donald Trump Jr. points to the violence in Kenosha, with law and order a key theme of the convention.
It is an argument that Republicans think will help them win suburban voters in Wisconsin.
"They want their families to grow up in a safe environment. They don't want this stuff coming to their suburbs," said Trump Jr. "They're seeing it happening in your very own state. We have to be law and order, but that doesn't mean we don't call out abuses when they are there."
Trump Jr. said the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota was a disgrace, and that bad police should be held accountable. However, he said, there is not enough info yet to judge the Kenosha officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.
"The video to me is very non-descript. It's very complicated. I get the difficulty of that," said Trump Jr. "That doesn't mean it's right or wrong in this case, because I don't know enough about the details. The problem is I don't know if anyone knows enough about the details."
Donald Trump Jr. pre-records his address to the Republican National Convention at the Mellon Auditorium on August 24, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Democrats now run counter-programming to the RNC.
"Last night was grim and spiteful and fear-inducing, and while I do think there are a lot of things that we should be concerned about, they all emanate from the policies coming out of the White House last night," said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. "That's why I thought it was such a surprise that they would take this tack."
The Biden campaign criticized the decision to have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speak during the RNC Tuesday night from Jerusalem, where he is on official business. The campaign called it disgraceful, partisan and a waste of taxpayer dollars. A Wisconsin businessman is also slated to speak Tuesday night.
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